Sam Cook, Cartwright Daybreak (LANDSCAPE 2026)

This three-image series is a seasonal study of Point Cartwright, photographed across different times of the year to show how the same headland can carry completely different moods. The lighthouse and tree line stay constant, a fixed landmark on the horizon, while the ocean, cloud structure, and colour temperature shift with the seasons. Each frame leans into contrast between softness and strength. Long exposure water smooths into a quiet rhythm around the granite, letting the rocks hold the weight and texture of the foreground. One image sits in cooler, stormy tones with a darker, heavier atmosphere. Another finds the coastline in a gentler in-between state, where the horizon begins to warm but the day hasn’t fully arrived. The final frame opens into a more vivid sky, the sea reflecting that change as the shoreline pulls the viewer into the distance. Taken months apart, the set becomes less about documenting a single moment and more about returning, noticing, and letting a place reveal itself over time. It’s a reminder that landscape isn’t static, it’s a living cycle of light, weather, and season, and the calm we feel in these scenes is earned through patience and repeat visits.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.